Starting Advanced Mathematics: The Essential Foundation

This is one of three similar books written by different authors for different publishers (the others are for CGP and 'Bridging GCSE and A level Maths'). Each of the three has a slightly different approach, and this one is pretty much like an shortened text book. A GCSE topic is refreshed, examples are given, then a set of practice questions. In some instances the topic is taken slightly beyond GCSE. Answers are at the back of the book.There are 18 chapters, each of which is fundamental to starting A-level, so the topics are highly relevant. Given the recent research report suggesting that about 50% of subject knowledge is lost over the summer holidays (in my experience, a gross underestimate) the premise of the book is good. Its limitation is that, in the space of 9 or ten weeks, all of this work has to be covered, and this requires a huge amount of either determination on the part of the student or nagging on the part of the parents.With that proviso, it is a good book and does what it set out to do.

Hugh Neill is tried-and-tested gold! I studied maths missing A-level, and first step was Hugh Neill's wonderful Help Yourself to Algebra, followed by the Advanced book. Amazingly tightly written, tiny books packed with instruction and value. One or two typos (which can be immense barriers for beginners) so it can be good to have access to someone who can reassure you (old engineers are perfect) and now I recommend them to others with gaps in their learning.

Great for course

As stated in the blurb, the book offers brief explanations and exercises in basic algebra and trig, but it does not go beyond the demands of the new GCSE maths syllabus. In fact, there are no exercises on circle theorems. The explanations are in a concise and clear step-by-step style so that it makes a good GCSE revision resource (more consolidated than the standard GCSE revision guides); it is just lacking somewhat in more demanding tasks.

Good

this book has not been proof read and as such contains errors and wrong answers, in books such as this accuracy is essential.enough said.

I'm only up to chapter 6 but it seems okay so far. Nothing amazing, no great insight, but it explains itself well and the exercises seem to be of an appropriate difficulty. It's the only book of it's kind I've read, and I'm using it for self-study, so I can't relate it to usefulness on a course, but it's good for practice.